Year & Semester Programs in Nice

Bienvenue a Nice!

JYF is an advanced academic immersion study abroad program in Nice, France. Available as a semester (fall or spring) or academic year program, our aim is to provide opportunities for students to expand their international perspective, hone their French language skills, and live like a native while taking courses in their major within the French university system. JYF Nice is open to undergraduate students in good standing at any accredited U.S. institution of higher learning who meet the requirements in French.

JYF opened its Nice location in August 2010. The program is small, which ensures each student will have access to individual academic support and attention from program staff in Nice.

About Nice

Nice is a thriving, vibrant city situated between the coast of the French Riviera and the Alps in the Provence-Alpes-Côtes d’Azur region of southeast France. It is pedestrian friendly and intimate, yet also large enough to have many cultural events and a wide range of activities.

The warm weather along the Mediterranean Sea makes Nice an ideal place to enjoy the outdoors. It is a city full of cafés, patios, and markets, as well as recreation such as the beach, tennis courts, and hiking in the nearby mountains.

Nice’s Greek and Roman roots have influenced the architecture and culture of the city, which is full of colorfully painted buildings, squares, fountains, and plentiful green spaces. The vibrant and colorful environs have long been a draw for the artistic community. Nice was a popular destination for painters like Chagall, Picasso, and Matisse, and continues to be a center for musicians, visual and performing artists. Nice is home to many theaters, the opera, ballet, philharmonic, and art museums.

Orientation

Institut de Touraine

Students studying in Nice for the academic year or fall semester will attend a two-week orientation session held in Tours at the Institut de Touraine. Spring semester is one-week long and will be held at the JYF office in Nice.

The preliminary orientation session is an introduction to the French way of life. It provides practical knowledge of the language so students can readily use it in their studies and initiates students to academic life in France.

The session includes:

Practical training in composition, translation and conversation.

A meeting with JYF staff to plan the academic calendar and living arrangements in Nice.

Cultural experiences such as visits to museums and historical landmarks in the Loire Valley (Tours orientation only).

A recommendation for one unit of credit is made (equivalent to a semester course) for those who successfully complete the intensive orientation session for the yearlong program. There is no credit offered for the spring orientation session.

Academics

Students with a variety of majors from business, sciences, and the arts may take courses within their respective fields while studying abroad with JYF. All courses are taught in French and students are expected to choose a minimum of four courses with the assistance of on-site advisors providing individual consultation.

JYF students may choose from a combination of:

JYF Courses — JYF courses, taught by university professors, are designed for and offered exclusively to JYF students.

French University Courses — There are three campuses at the University of Nice where students may enroll, each of which houses several academic departments. Students are registered as regular students at the University of Nice and do the same work as their French counterparts. JYF does everything possible to facilitate this by providing group or individual tutoring sessions.

Extra-curricular and Recreational Courses — Additional courses in painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, film, music and dance are also available at several private studios.

The size of JYF allows our experienced American and French staff to give personal attention to every student who needs it.

More information about academics and the University of Nice is available on the JYF Nice University Courses page.

Internships & Volunteering

Get involved and gain international experience in your field! JYF provides the opportunity to intern or volunteer in addition to your studies.

Volunteer in a classroom as a teacher’s assistant.

A limited number of internships are available to students in Nice.

Excursions & Cultural Focus

St. Paul de Vence, Spring 2013

Get to know Nice and the south of France! Each semester JYF organizes a weekend trip and several local excursions to places of cultural interest. The group usually goes to Aix, Avignon (Provence), or to Paris for the weekend and on several day trips to nearby cities such as Monte Carlo, Cannes, St. Paul de Vence, Villefranche, Eze, St. Tropez, Beaulieu, Antibes, and St. Jean Cap Ferrat.

The Resident Coordinator in Nice also arranges and accompanies the group to cultural events each semester such as the opera, theater, museums, and to the Carnaval, the major springtime festival in Nice. In addition to cultural excursions, the Resident Coordinator meets often with students in various venues in Nice to experience typical “Niçois” life.

Living Arrangements

For the best results in language improvement and cultural advantages, students will be lodged in selected French families both in Tours (fall and academic year orientation) and in Nice, where they can hear and speak French and be exposed to French life and customs.

Students are placed with host families located in the busy city center or in quieter neighborhoods. The Resident Coordinator studies the housing applications and carefully matches students with families based on the student’s personality and interests. All living locations are easily accessible by public transportation to the university campuses.

Requests for independent arrangements must be made at the time of application or as soon as possible afterwards. The cost of housing will be deducted from the total cost, if independent.

Students live with host families on a demi-pension basis (breakfast 7 days a week and dinner 6 days a week). Room and board is provided until the end of semester or the day after the student’s last examination if later.